Melbourne Cup placegetter Prince Of Arran continues world tour

by Luke Sheehan

Prince of Arran wins the Lexus StakesImage: Getty

The Charlie Fellowes-trained Prince of Arran will resume in the Group Two Dubai City of Gold (2410m) at Meydan on Saturday.

The six-year-old Shirocco gelding broke new ground for Fellowes in Australia, claiming the Newmarket stable's first Group-level victory when winning the Group Three Lexus Stakes (2500m) to earn the 11th-hour Cup golden-ticket.

Prince of Arran then ran third behind Cross Counter and Marmelo three days later, three lengths off Godolphin's breakthrough winner at Flemington.

It capped a high-flying three-start campaign down under, having finished third behind Yucatan in the Group Two Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) first-up at Caulfield.

A stunning photo taken by @jayneodellphoto last week of PRINCE OF ARRAN walking home after exercise. He has made it safely to Dubai and will run this Saturday. Good luck salem_belobaida… https://t.co/tkIzSZmvdi

His Australian campaign saw him build a streak of five races of finishing in the top three, that included placing in the Group Two Belmont Gold Cup in the US, and a runner-up finish in the Northumberland Plate back in the UK a few weeks later. That run ended when he finished eighth in the HK$20 million Hong Kong Vase in December.

Second-up from the Charlie Appleby yard is Blair House in the Group One Jebel Hatta (1800m) later on the card.

The beaten Mackinnon Stakes favourite resumed with a fourth in the Group Two Al Rashidiya (1800m) on January 24, and is aiming to defend his Jebel Hatta crown.

He beat subsequent Cox Plate runner-up Benbatl by three-quarters of a length in last year's race, albeit he was four runs deep into his Dubai campaign compared to second-up this time in.

Australian sprinter Faatinah will have his fourth Dubai run this prep, and runs into Appleby's Blue Point once more - having been 5L off him in their 1000m clash on February 14.

This time they race over the 1200m in the Group Three Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, with a jockey change for the multiple Group Two winner - Jim Crowley replaced by Dane O'Neill.